Ancient Pathways

Ancient Pathways: About the Show

There are places that seem to exist in more than one time at once. Avebury is one of them.

Over the past year, as Artist in Residence at the National Trust, I have returned again and again to Avebury Manor Garden and the wider landscape beyond, soaking up the changing seasons. Walking these ancient pathways, I have watched flowers bloom, grasses turn to gold and leaves fall once more. This exhibition follows that journey through the year, celebrating the changing relationship between landscape, light and time.

These paintings are not intended to explain Avebury or recreate its history. Instead, they are a personal response to the feeling of being here. They explore the relationship between people, landscape and memory, while leaving space for imagination, folklore and wonder.

Alongside the landscape itself, I found myself drawn to the chalky Ridgeway and the ancient barrows that line it, the old trees that have held generations of wishes, the changing skies, and the sense of peace that seems to emerge from the unspoken energy of Avebury when you simply slow down.

Alongside the paintings, Welcome Home, a new sound work in the historic Dovecote, invites visitors to pause, sit quietly and let a single sung voice reverberate through the ancient space. It is a small invitation to be still before continuing the journey.

Above all, I hope this exhibition encourages you to slow down, look more closely, and rediscover the quiet wonder that can be found in the landscapes that have shaped us for thousands of years.

I hope you enjoy the work.

Georgie Weedon

About the Artist

Georgie Weedon is an artist working in painting, drawing and sound, whose practice is rooted in the British landscape and its emotional and historical textures. As Artist in Residence at the National Trust, Avebury for 2026, she develops a new body of work inspired by one of Britain's most significant prehistoric landscapes, responding to the layers of history, nature and human connection that shape the site. A selection of her work is installed within Avebury Manor, and her practice explores themes of place, memory and connection, inviting audiences to experience Avebury as a living creative landscape.

"I want to create work that reflects the energy of the landscape and invites people to slow down, look closer and feel a deeper connection to place." — Georgie Weedon

About the Show: Ancient Pathways

5 September – 1 November 2026 · The Racquets Court Gallery, Avebury Manor Garden

Ancient Pathways presents a new collection of paintings created during the residency. Installed in the newly converted Racquets Court Gallery, the exhibition offers an immersive response to Avebury's landscape, combining contemporary artistic expression with a landscape shaped by thousands of years of human activity and connection.

Weedon reflects that 'There are places that seem to exist in more than one time at once and Avebury is one of them.' Over the past year, she has returned again and again to the garden and the wider landscape beyond. Walking these ancient pathways, she watches flowers bloom in the kitchen garden, grasses turn to gold on the Ridgeway, and leaves fall once more amongst the sarsen stones. These paintings are a personal response to the feeling of being here, exploring the relationship between people, landscape and memory, while leaving space for imagination, folklore and wonder.

Avebury National Trust: A Landscape of Living History

Avebury is one of Britain's most remarkable landscapes, where over 5,000 years of human history exist alongside a thriving village, working farmland and abundant wildlife. At its heart lies the world's largest prehistoric stone circle, surrounded by ancient monuments including Silbury Hill, West Kennet Long Barrow, the Ridgeway and the Bronze Age barrows that trace the skyline.

Beyond the archaeology, visitors can explore the beautifully restored Avebury Manor and its historic gardens, whose series of intimate garden rooms are widely recognised as having influenced Vita Sackville-West's vision for Sissinghurst. Nestled within the gardens is the historic Dovecote, where Welcome Home, a site-specific sound sculpture created for this exhibition, invites visitors to pause, sit quietly and experience a single sung voice as it reverberates through the ancient space.

The exhibition continues in the newly developed Racquets Court Gallery, set within the Manor's historic kitchen garden, where Ancient Pathways brings together paintings created during Georgie Weedon's year as Artist in Residence. Together, the gallery, gardens and wider landscape invite visitors to experience Avebury not simply as a monument to the past, but as a living place where history, nature, creativity and community continue to intertwine.